Written answers
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Departmental Offices
9:00 pm
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department has carried out a study of opening hours of public offices under the control or remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32002/07]
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the opening hours of his Department's public offices and public phone lines and if they close for lunch; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32052/07]
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 337 and 339 together.
The opening hours of my Department are 9.15 am to 5.30 pm on Mondays to Thursdays inclusive and 9.15 am to 5.15 pm on Fridays. The phone lines of my Department are open during the same periods and remain open for a further 15 minutes each evening. The phone lines and the Department do not close for lunch.
Within the Department itself and in some of the offices of the Department, there are public offices and public phone lines specifically dedicated to dealing with enquiries etc from members of the public. The information requested by the Deputy in respect of those offices is set out hereunder in tabular form:
| Opening Hours of Public Office | Opening Hours of Public Phones | |
| Employment Permits Section | No public office per se but opening hours of Employment Permits Section same as for the Department above. | 9.30 am to 5.00 pm (Monday to Friday inclusive) with 1 hour closure for lunch each day (1.00 pm to 2.00 pm) |
| Companies Registration Office | 9.30 am to 4.30 pm (Monday to Friday inclusive, including lunch time) | 9.15 am to 5.30 pm (Monday to Friday inclusive). Closed for lunch each day (1.00 pm to 2.00 pm) |
| Registry of Friendly Societies | 10.00 am to 4.30 pm (Monday to Friday inclusive). Closed for lunch each day (1.00 pm to 2.15 pm) | 9.15 am to 5.30 pm (Monday to Friday inclusive). Closed for lunch each day (1.00 pm to 2.15 pm) |
| Office of The Director of Corporate Enforcement | No public office per se but opening hours of O.D.C.E. same as for the Department above. | 9.15 am to 5.30 pm (Monday to Thursday inclusive) and 9.15 am to 5.15 pm on Fridays. Closed for lunch each day (1.00 pm to 2.15 pm) |
| Patents Office, Kilkenny Patents Information Centre, Dublin | 9.45.am to 4.15 pm (Monday to Friday including lunch time) | 9.15 am to 5.30 pm (Monday to Thursday inclusive) and 9.15 am to 5.15 pm on Fridays including lunch time each day. |
| National Employment Rights Agency (Carlow and Dublin) | 9.15 am to 5.30 pm (Monday to Thursday inclusive) and 9.15 am to 5.15 pm on Fridays. One-hour closure at lunchtime each day. | 9.30 am to 5.00 pm (Monday to Friday inclusive) including lunchtime. |
| Labour CourtLabour Relations Commission | 8.30 am to 6.30 pm (Monday to Friday inclusive including lunch time) | 8.30 am to 6.30 pm (Monday to Friday inclusive including lunch time) |
| Employment Appeals Tribunal | 9.15 am to 5.30 pm (Monday to Thursday inclusive) and 9.15 am to 5.15 pm on Fridays including lunchtime each day. | 9.15 am to 5.30 pm (Monday to Thursday inclusive) and 9.15 am to 5.15 pm on Fridays including lunchtime each day. |
The Department has not carried out a specific study of the opening hours of the public offices under its control or remit but keeps the matter under review and responds appropriately to changing circumstances.
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